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Monday, September 9, 2013

Beit Shemesh grave protests resume; 6 haredim wounded

Six haredi citizens sustained light to moderate injuries
during Monday clashes with security guards at a disputed construction site in
Beit Shemesh.

Construction at Beit Shemesh's Goloventzitz construction
site has been marred by protests by haredim who claim the site is home to a historic
burial site. Some of the protesters are affiliated with the radical haredi Atra
Kadisha (Aramic for 'holy place') organization, which works to protect ancient
Jewish grave sites in Israel and around the world.

As was the case in similar, previous incidents that took
place at the site, on Monday a number of haredim arrived at the scene and began
demonstrating. Several of the haredi protesters successfully managed to enter
the site and began obstructing construction work.

After protesters entered the site, a scuffle broke out
between the protesters and the security guards employed by the construction
company.

Police forces that arrived at the scene detained two of the
protesters along with six security guards and two of the site's managers. All
were taken in for questioning.

One of the protesters claimed to have been hit by a metal
rod. Jerusalem District Police launched an investigation on the claim.

Four of the wounded were evacuated to the Hadassah Ein Kerem
Hospital in Jerusalem and two to the city's Shaare Zedek Medical Center.

A person who was present at the scene insisted that security
guards prevented paramedics from entering the site and giving medical
assistance to the wounded haredi demonstrators until police arrived.

David Cohen, a Magen David Adom paramedic, said: "The
first ambulance to arrive had difficulties getting in. Inside there were the
wounded surrounded by the protesters.

"I treated two men with injuries to their faces,
seemingly as a result of metal rods and stones. Two of the protesters were
bleeding from their faces and another suffered an injury to his eye. The rest
were hit on their backs."